Wicked Whoopie Pies by Addison Moore (english novels to improve english TXT) 📕

“Now that sounds like the kind of threat I like.”

Speaking of threats, I’m about to tell him about that note Terri showed me when an older woman steps up to the microphone at the front of the stage and taps it.

“Thank you for this opportunity to speak,” the somewhat diminutive woman says to the elders. “I understand that with our old pastor retiring we had a void to fill. And I realize that the contemporary pastor would like to fill the position, but who is going to bring up the elephant in the room? Ever since Pastor Dave showed up, the traditional service has been shoved in the back seat. Our choir has been replaced with a live rock band. And now I hear they want to take all of the books out of the library and replace them with digital versions so they can make room for a coffee shop. I say to the elders, hold your ground. Do not let Honey Hollow Covenant fall into a contemporary oblivion like so many other churches in our area. It’s not right that Pastor Dave and his team have come in and commandeered everything to go their way. I say give ’em the boot. And once Pastor Cleary is instated as the head pastor, we can reaffirm ourselves as the traditional church we’ve been for the last fifty years!”

A loose applause breaks out in the room before a man in his mid-thirties takes the microphone next.

“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to disagree,” he belts it out roughly. “Pastor Dave has breathed new life into this place. He’s opened countless children’s programs that my own kids happen to enjoy. Our services are that much more successful now that the kids have their own classes to attend. And if we kick Pastor Dave out, the music minister has already threatened to go with him, along with half the staff. They’ll be taking all of the youth, including my family and me. Is that what you want, Terri? A church full of old people?”

A riotous applause breaks out, and it’s painfully clear most of the room agrees with them.

And I’m not surprised he called out Terri by name. She’s been in charge of the elder board for quite some time now.

“I would like to address this,” Terri coughs into her hand. “We never wanted this to turn into a house divided. And no one said we had to get rid of the choir. When Pastor Dave takes his musical crew out of here with him, we’ll have plenty of room for all of our choir members back onstage.”

A round of gasps circles the room and a short stalky woman takes the microphone next. She’s already vibrating with anger, so I can’t wait to hear what she’s got to say.

“Thank you to the board for hearing me out.” Her voice is loud and sharp. “I heard rumors that Pastor Dave was offered a good chunk of money to start up his own church somewhere in Hollyhock. In fact, I heard you were giving him two years severance pay in an effort to entice him to leave.”

A man stands up a few seats away from Everett and me. “I heard he wants to start a new church right here, and use our facility to do it, claiming it would just be temporary.”

The woman next to me spikes up, “None of these people want to leave. I implore the elders to reconsider their stance against Pastor Dave and the youth of this congregation. We don’t want to lose a talented preacher. Our lifeblood is our youth. The fact you’re about to declare one man the victor here is turning this church family against one another. And if you choose to oust Pastor Dave, it will be the church equivalent of a divorce! We’ll miss seeing our grandchildren. I’m not happy with the elder board. I’ll tell you that right upfront.”

“Order,” the man next to Terri huffs as he picks up another whoopie pie. “Next speaker, please.”

A seemingly reasonable looking woman takes the mic. “Why is everything so secretive with you three? Pastor Dave stopped preaching well over three months ago, and rumor has it he was suspended. The elder board lied to the congregation and said he didn’t want to preach anymore. We demand you tell us right now what the truth is!”

The room breaks out into applause at her boldness, and Terri leans into the microphone before her.

“We did not lie,” she says it even-keeled. “We never said he didn’t want to preach. It’s the state’s fault that we needed to do things in secret. We aren’t allowed to disclose the details of what went on behind closed doors between Pastor Dave and ourselves.”

“You hold tight to your guns, Terri!” Granny is back—one of the first women who spoke. “The contemporary service can go to heck!”

An entire choir of voices rumbles and grumbles at once.

“Why is this going through so quickly?”

“Why can’t we take our time and figure out a solution that appeals to everyone?”

“We don’t want this divide!”

Terri knocks back the rest of her coffee before huffing into the microphone.

“We can’t please everyone.” She sheds a tight smile to Pastor Dave. “And I’m afraid the Lord has spoken quite clearly to the elders about the dir”— she scoots back in her seat rather abruptly and clutches her chest. “About the direction the—” a horrible croaking sound emits from her as she struggles to stand. Instead, she grabs onto a handful of whoopie pies and squeezes tightly, causing the cream filling to ooze between her fingers right before she does a belly flop onto the table.

Another collective gasp fills the room as Everett runs up onstage and checks the woman’s pulse.

He looks my way and shakes his head.

The woman next to me clasps her hands together. “It looks as if the good Lord has spoken quite clearly once again!”

I have a feeling a not-so-good killer has intervened instead.

Terri won’t have